Poker Game System

ABSTRACT

A method of tracking player statistics for each player competing in live poker games at multiple physical locations includes calculating a player score for a poker game, entering the player score in a total score and comparing each player score.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/783,800 filed on Mar. 20, 2006, which is incorporated byreference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to card games, and more particularly, tolive poker games.

BACKGROUND

Live poker tournaments have become very popular. In a live tournament,players travel to a specific location to compete against each other.However, players may be unable to travel long distances and at specifictimes. Thus, a need exists for a system to track player statistics inlive poker games in order to compete from multiple locations and to rankorder player skills.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, a method of tracking player statistics for eachplayer competing in live poker games at multiple physical locationsincludes calculating a player score for a poker game, entering theplayer score in a total score and comparing each player score.

Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. Forexample, calculating the player score may include calculating a placefinished value, calculating a winner value, calculating a bounty winnervalue and adding the place finished value, the winner value and thebounty value to compute the player score.

The player score may also include a start value defined according to theformula start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100. Theplace finished value may be computed by (11−place number of finish inthe game)/100. The winner value may be computed as players in game*0.1or players in game*0.08. The bounty value may be calculated as number ofbounties won/3 or number of bounties won/7.

The player score may also include other factors, such as, for example, aplayer time value defined according to ((total time of player ingame)/60)/total time of game, a chip value defined as (1−(10−number ofplayers)*0.05)*((net chip count+15000)/50000) or an elimination valuedefined according to the number of players eliminated/15.

In another general aspect, a poker game system that tracks playerstatistical rankings includes more than one card game facility atdifferent geographic locations, each of the locations having pokertables for live poker games, a wireless communications device at eachgame facility to verify player identities, to control the start and stopof a live poker game and to input player scores and a server at a remotelocation to receive the player scores from the wireless communicationsdevice and calculate player scores, wherein each player score iscalculated according to points for a start value, a place finishedvalue, an elimination value, a winner value and a bounty winner valueand a storage device that stores the player scores. Embodiments mayinclude one or more of the above features.

In a further general aspect, a computer readable medium having embodiedthereon a computer program for processing by a computer includes a firstcode segment to calculate a player score for a poker game, the playerscore including a place finished value, a winner value and a bountywinner value, a second code segment to add the player score to a totalscore and a third code segment to compare the total score of each playerto every other player. Embodiments may include one or more of the abovefeatures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system diagram of a computer-implemented pokersystem at multiple physical locations.

FIGS. 2-4 are screenshots from a wireless communication device used by apoker dealer.

FIG. 5 shows a method of calculating a player ranking.

FIGS. 6-9 are screenshots of player rankings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The national poker challenge organizes poker games that are played inphysical facilities at locations anywhere in the country or abroad. Eachpoker game is played live at one of several tables at each pokerfacility.

League play is done without gambling any money. Instead, a statisticaltracking system tracks each player to determine monthly and overallrankings of the players.

Players sign up to play according to one of several subscriptionpackages, such as, for example, an individual league pass or a sit-n-goleague pass. When a player signs up for the individual league pass, theplayer is tracked for 10 games: 8 games of No Limit Texas Hold 'Em and 2games of Omaha.

A trained poker dealer runs the games at each facility. Referring toFIG. 1, the dealer is equipped with a wireless hand-held communicationsdevice, such as, for example, a personal digital assistant 110.

Each PDA 110 has a wireless communication link to a local server 120 atthe poker facility. The local server 120 utilizes a telecommunicationslink, such as, for example, the Internet 130, to communicate with a mainserver 140.

The main server 140 processes all game data and stores game statisticsin a storage device 150. A user terminal 160 allows the game supervisorto access game information and program and control the main server 140.

Referring to FIG. 2, the wireless device 110 used by the dealer displaysthe layout of the poker facility. The dealer checks in each player at anumbered seat at one of the tables. Various types of check-in proceduresmay be used. In one embodiment, each player has a subscription card witha magnetic or bar code identification and the dealer scans thesubscription card. In another embodiment, the dealer enters the player'sname or subscription number.

Referring to FIG. 3, as each player is checked in, the player's data istransmitted from the main server 160 to the local server 120 anddownloaded to the wireless device 110. The player's image is displayed,thus, the dealer can verify the identity of the player. In addition, thedealer can access the data of each individual player as shown in FIG. 4.

Once the player's are checked in at each table, the dealer enters acommand on the wireless device 110 to commence the game. The wirelessdevice records the number of players in each game. At the conclusion ofthe game, the scores of each player are input to the wireless device110. The game scores are then sent to storage device to be added to theplayer's statistics.

As shown in FIG. 5, the raw scores are used to compute player scores andupdated rankings. After the player's identity is verified in operation510, the player game scores are calculated in operation 520. The gamescore is then added to the total score for each player in operation 530.The player scores are compared to provide a player ranking in operation540 and the player scores and rankings are stored in operation 550.

The statistical tracking program ranks the players according to criteriaaccording to the game being played and the package that is purchased. Inthe Sit-N-Go league, players scores are calculated based on a sum of astart value, place finished value, games won value, bounty value,eliminations value and time played value, according to the followingformulas:start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100;place finished value=(11−place number of finish in the game)/100;winner value=players in game*0.1;bounty value=number of bounties won/3;player time value=((total time of player in game)/60)/total time ofgame; andelimination value=number of players eliminated/15.

In the Individual League Championship (ILC), ten games are played,include eight games of Texas Hold 'Em and two games of Omaha. Theplayers scores in the ILC are calculated based on a start value, placefinished value, winner value, bounties value and chip value according tothe following formulas:start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100;place finished value=(11−place number of finish in the game)/100;winner value=players in game*0.1;bounty value=number of bounties won/7; andchip value=(1−(10−number of players)*0.05)*((net chipcount+15000)/50000).

FIGS. 6-9 show various individual and league statistics that areavailable for viewing by the league players. The players can access thestatistics on a wireless device or a personal computer that is providedwith access to the league database.

While the present invention has been particularly described withreference to the preferred embodiments, it should be obvious to those ofordinary skill in the art that modifications in form and details may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method of tracking player statistics for each player competing inlive poker games at multiple physical locations, the method comprising:calculating a player score for a poker game; entering the player scorein a total score; and comparing each player score.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein calculating the player score comprises: calculating aplace finished value; calculating a winner value; calculating a bountywinner value; and adding the place finished value, the winner value andthe bounty value to compute the player score.
 3. The method of claim 2,further comprising: calculating a start value; and wherein addingincludes adding the start value to compute the player score.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, wherein the start value is defined according to theformula:start value=1.65−(6*(11−(number of players in game)))/100.
 5. The methodof claim 3, wherein the place finished value is defined according to theformula:place finished value=(11−place number of finish in the game)/100.
 6. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the winner value is defined according to theformula:winner value=players in game*0.1.
 7. The method of claim 2, wherein thewinner value is defined according to the formula:winner value=players in game*0.08.
 8. The method of claim 2, wherein thebounty value is defined according to the formula:bounty value=number of bounties won/3.
 9. The method of claim 2, whereinthe bounty value is defined according to the formula:bounty value=number of bounties won/7.
 10. The method of claim 2,wherein the player score further comprises: adding a player time valuedefined according to the formulaplayer time value=((total time of player in game)/60)/total time ofgame.
 11. The method of claim 2, wherein the player score furthercomprises: adding a chip value defined according to the formulachip value=(1−(10−number of players)*0.05)*((net chipcount+15000)/50000).
 12. The method of claim 2, wherein the player scorefurther comprises: adding an elimination value defined according to theformulaelimination value=number of players eliminated/15.
 13. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: verifying the identity of each pokerplayer.
 14. A poker game system that tracks player statistical rankings,comprising: more than one card game facility at different geographiclocations, each of the locations having poker tables for live pokergames; a wireless communications device at each game facility to verifyplayer identities, to control the start and stop of a live poker gameand to input player scores; and a server at a remote location to receivethe player scores from the wireless communications device and calculateplayer scores, wherein each player score is calculated according topoints for a start value, a place finished value, an elimination value,a winner value and a bounty winner value; and a storage device thatstores the player scores.
 15. A computer readable medium having embodiedthereon a computer program for processing by a computer, the computerprogram comprising: a first code segment to calculate a player score fora poker game, the player score including a place finished value, awinner value and a bounty winner value; a second code segment to add theplayer score to a total score; and a third code segment to compare thetotal score of each player to every other player.